60-year-old Nigerian Liya’u Sa’adu has spent the past 30 years sleeping under a bridge in Lagos, the country’s largest city.
According to a BBC report, Sa’adu has made this space his home and now sees himself as a “guardian” for other homeless individuals who have also taken refuge there. He oversees the area, offering advice to newcomers on how to survive in Lagos, a city known for its high crime rates and drug issues.
“I am 60, and there are young people who arrived here recently or some years ago. I feel it’s my duty to guide them because it’s easy to lose your way in Lagos, especially for those without family to look out for them,” Sa’adu told the BBC.
Sa’adu, who speaks Hausa, shares the bridge with many others who speak the same language. He arrived in Lagos from Zurmi, a small town in north-western Zamfara state, in 1994, seeking a better life. Although his reality was different from what he had envisioned, he adapted and made the best of his situation.
Under the bridge, which he calls “Karkashin Gada” (meaning “Under the Bridge” in Hausa), Sa’adu has managed to set up a small living area with a mattress, bedding, a mosquito net, and a wooden cabinet.
During his 30 years in Lagos, Sa’adu has earned a living through shoe-shining and collecting metals for recycling. He sends part of his earnings back to his family in Zurmi and manages to make about 5,000 Naira ($3) a day, slightly above the extreme poverty threshold of $1.90 per day.
Despite Nigeria’s challenging economic conditions for low-income earners and the poor, Sa’adu remains resilient, hoping for a better future as he continues to navigate life’s struggles in Lagos.
